Supplements ... What you need to know
In 2020, The supplement industry was worth 2x more than the entire rest of the health & fitness industry combined.
Supplements can absolutely play a role in improving your health & fitness.
In fact… I take multiple different supplements myself.
But these are murky waters.
You may wonder:
Should I be taking supplements?
What supplements should I be taking?
If I do take them, how much do I need?
Let’s take a dive into the murky waters of supplementation and get some clarity!
Should you be taking supplements?
The opening statistic about the size of the supplement industry is alarming to me as a coach.
Many supplements are marketed to be a magic pill.
They promise quick results with no effort.
In fact… in 2018 there were over 50,000 complaints to U.S. regulatory bodies due to the misleading promises of dietary supplements.
What we as the consumer need to understand is that supplements are big business! There is lots of money to be made.
As humans we have a tendency to want instant results… and supplement companies know this.
We have next day delivery on amazon prime.
We have Instant Messaging.
We can watch everything live.
So… the promise of instant results is extremely appealing to us.
However, when it comes to improving how you look, move & feel… there is no instant solution.
Good health & fitness comes from consistently working on our approach to training, nutrition, sleep and stress management.
It requires a lifelong commitment to living a healthy lifestyle and looking after your body.
That being said…
I believe there is a distinguishment to be made between supplements that are foundational to good health vs performance-based supplements to give us an edge!
Performance-Based Supplements
The right performance enhancing supplements can absolutely make a difference to your overall health & fitness, when used correctly.
But… We need to have our priorities right.
The definition of the word supplement is: a thing, added to something else in order to make it complete or enhance it.
Which means that in order to add to or enhance our health & fitness, we first need to have the major components of a healthy lifestyle in place, before we prioritise topping that up with supplements.
I believe that performance-based supplements should be reserved for the advanced trainee.
One resource that I always refer to is the pyramid of nutritional priorities.
Calories.
Macronutrients.
Micronutrients.
Meal Timings.
Supplements.
Supplements is the final frontier to elite performance.
So if you’re at that level, by all means, look into it!
5 Health-based Supplements Most People Should Be Taking
Before we start this section, I need to add a disclaimer:
*I’m just sharing some of the supplements that I’d recommend in certain situations, for certain individuals. This podcast isn’t a prescription service. You should always seek out expert advice when determining what supplements you need as well as the correct dosage*
With that said…
I feel there are some foundational supplements that the majority of people would benefit from to support their health.
Vitamin D
One of the main functions of vitamin D is to allow the body to absorb calcium.
Without calcium absorption, we’d have incredibly weak bones as well as a whole host of other issues.
Vitamin D is nicknamed the sunshine vitamin, because our body naturally produces it from exposure to sunlight.
The problem is, that if you live in country like the UK… our exposure to sunlight is minimal at best, especially through the winter months as we wrap up more.
Unfortunately there aren’t many Vitamin D rich foods, which makes eating the amount of vitamin D we need almost impossible.
This is why supplementing vitamin D is something that most people should be doing!
How much should I be taking?
As usual this varies from person to person.
But as a very generic guide, an intake equal to or greater than 1000 IU may be needed for most people.
You may notice that the average multivitamin contains about 20 IU… so consider finding some higher strength supplements.
Multivitamin
I’m going to cheat here and choose a multivitamin… because… all vitamins are important.
Vitamin D stands alone, because to get the kind of levels of Vitamin D required from a multivitamin, would more than likely create toxicity levels from the other vitamins in the multivitamin pill.
A standard multivitamin tablet is going to contain:
Vitamin A
Vitamin B Complex
Vitamin C
Vitamin E
As well as other things.
All of these vitamins carry out vital functions in the body.
Eating a wide range of fruits and vegetables should be taking you towards your nutrient requirement.
There isn’t a complete substitute for a nutrient dense and well vary diet!
Improving your intake from whole foods should be your top priority.
How much should I be taking?
I think of a multivitamin like an insurance… not a substitute for vegetables.
Most people should be taking a multivitamin daily.
If you’re using other supplements too, be cautious that you are taking the correct amount in total.
Fish Oils
Fish Oils have 3 main benefits in the body.
Specifically with a view to taking in omega 3’s as oppose to omega 6’s.
Fish Oil contributes to our overall health by helping the function of our cardiovascular system, immune system and nervous system.
It also helps the proper function of cells. Each cell has a Fatty membrane that controls what enters in and out of it… so by consuming omega 3 fatty acids, this helps to allow that system to function well.
Finally, fish oil helps to speed up the metabolism, helping to burn more calories. Which makes losing body fat, easier!
Just like vitamin D… Our body doesn’t create omega 3 naturally, so supplementing it is a good idea, especially if we aren’t consuming enough oily fish.
How much should I be taking?
Aim for 3-9 grams of fish oil daily.
ZMA’s
ZMA’s are a personal favourite supplement of mine.
ZMA’s are a combination of both zinc and magnesium. Which you can supplement individually.
There are many benefits to these minerals.
But speaking from experience they have worked wonders for improving my sleep!
I can genuinely see the difference in my sleep quality if I have or haven’t supplemented with ZMA’s
There are many other factors that are more important to getting good quality sleep than zinc and magnesium supplementation.
But if you’re looking to take your sleep quality up a notch, I’ve found them very useful.
How much should I be taking?
An estimated upper limit of magnesium supplements is 350mg a day.
An estimated upper limit of zinc supplements is 40 mg per day
Creatine
Creatine is one of the most widely researched and yet most widely misrepresented supplements.
It naturally occurs in the body and is found in foods too, the most notable being steak.
Although this could be maybe be classed as a performance enhancing supplement, the more research that is being done around on creatine, the more heath-related benefits are being identified.
One health benefit is related to improved cognitive function because 5% of creatine is in the brain, and research suggests it could be helpful in preventing against neurological diseases such as Alzheimers and parkinsons.
Where it crosses over into the performance side of things is that it plays a role in one of our bodies main energy systems.
This energy system is mainly responsible for short high-intensity tasks, such as resistance training.
Which as you know is a very important part of a healthy active lifestyle.
More potentially energy = better workouts.
Better workouts = better results.
How much should I be taking?
You can take a loading dose of 10-20g per day for a week
Then a maintenance does of 5g per day
After 12-16 weeks it’s suggested that you take a break before cycling back on it again.
P.s. there are multiple forms of creatine you can purchase. But the one you want is creatine monohydrate.
P.p.s. supplementing creatine is perhaps more important for people who are plant-based due to the lack of creatine in plant-based foods.
In summary
These are just a few of the many supplements that are out there.
Don’t get carried away with false promises and harmful supplements.
I encourage you to view your supplementation through the lens of improving your health!
(unless you are an elite trainee or athlete in which case performance-based supplements may need your attention)
My top 5 Recommendations are:
Vitamin D
Multivitamin
Fish Oil
ZMA
Creatine
And remember…
Always consult with a professional when making adjustments to your diet / supplementation.